Andree, 74, was arrested in August previous year by Saudi police after being found in possession of homemade wine.The grandfather-of-seven was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a public flogging and has been in prison since then.
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“He is really poorly, really old and we love him very much”.
“Even though you sent a letter to the Saudi Arabian government, he is still in jail two months after he should have been released, and we still have no idea whether he is going to receive the 350 disgusting lashes they threatened”, the message said.
“I’ve been watching the TV all day waiting for the news”.
Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: “Good to hear news from #Saudi that #KarlAndree is to be released within the week”.
As well as Mr Andree’s case, the links between London and Riyadh have been strained by the cancellation of a bid for a Saudi prison consultancy contract.
Hammond met with King Salman and other officials on Wednesday.
The ambassador has previously warned of “serious repercussions” over the “alarming change” in the UK’s attitude towards Saudi Arabia, the BBC has reported.
“To further our shared strategic interests in the years ahead as we confront a variety of threats, it is crucial that Saudi Arabia be treated with the respect it has unwaveringly afforded the United Kingdom”, Mohammed Bin Nawaf Bin Abdulaziz wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Mr Hammond is due to give a speech on extremism at the eleventh Manama Dialogue security summit this weekend in Bahrain.
The Foreign Office said he will make clear that the UK’s national security is heavily linked to that of the region, highlighting continued commitment to a military presence in the Gulf.
Grandfather Karl Andree, who faced 350 lashes over alcohol laws, could be home “within a week”, it has been announced.
Mr Hammond described his release as a “good outcome” and said he was “delighted”.
“This is a case we have raised”.
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Reprieve’s Kate Higham said: “Despite the Foreign Secretary’s hint last week that he “does not expect” the Saudis to carry out disgusting punishments on Ali al-Nimr and Karl Andree, it appears these assurances are shaky at best”.
